Due to the earthquake of April 14 and subsequent earthquakes in the Kumamoto region, the following Sony Group manufacturing sites have been affected:

Operations at Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation’s Kumamoto Technology Center (located in Kikuchi Gun, Kumamoto Prefecture), which primarily manufactures image sensors for digital cameras and security cameras as well as micro-display devices, were halted after the earthquake on April 14, and currently remain suspended. Damage to the site’s building and manufacturing lines is currently being evaluated, and with aftershocks continuing, the timeframe for resuming operations has yet to be determined.

Although some of the manufacturing equipment at Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation’s Nagasaki Technology Center (located in Isahaya City, Nagasaki Prefecture), which is Sony’s main facility for smartphone image sensor production, and Oita Technology Center (located in Oita City, Oita Prefecture), which commenced operations as a wholly-owned facility of Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation on April 1, had been temporarily halted, the affected equipment has been sequentially restarted from April 17, and production has resumed. Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation’s Kagoshima Technology Center (located in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture) has continued its production operations after the earthquakes, and there have been no major effects on its operations.

Sony has confirmed the safety of all of its and its group companies’ employees in the region affected by the earthquakes.

The impact of these events on Sony’s consolidated results is currently being evaluated.

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Panasonic used NAB 2016 to significantly expand its studio camera line-up, with the announcement of immediate availability for the AK-UC3000 4K system, and the AK-HC5000, which outputs 1080p at 240fps. 

The single MOS sensor AK-UC3000 outputs a UHD signal at up to 50p, while also delivering superior picture quality in HD. The camera’s B4 mount accommodates a full range of 2/3-inch lenses, to maximise return on investment in existing lenses. 

The UC3000 also enables shooting with high sensitivity (F10/2000lx), low noise (S/N 60dB+), high resolution (1800 TV lines/UHD) and a wide dynamic range of 600% (-6dB〜36dB).

In addition, the AK-HC5000 is set to become Panasonic’s flagship studio model. The camera, capable of high-speed output up 1080/240p, incorporates new 2/3-type, 2.2M, 3-CMOS sensors, with high sensitivity (F11/2000lx), low noise (S/N 60dB+), and resolution measured at 1,100 TV lines.

The HC5000 shares many functions with the UC3000 including advanced focus assist, shockless gain (-3~36dB), a user gamma setting, black gamma correction tracking pedestal, multi-step Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), reduced skew and Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS). The HC5000’s flash band compensation corrects for the ‘flash band’ effect that can be experienced by most MOS-based imagers.

A new camera control unit, the AK-UCU500, provides power over 2000m using hybrid fibre, and outputs 4K signals and HD simultaneously. Two new remote operation panels, the AK-HRP1000 and AK-HRP1005, both with colour LCD readout displays, provide IP controls. A new 9-inch, Full-HD LCD viewfinder is also available.

Panasonic also announced a new expressP2 card. The B Series consists of two models, the
AU-XP0512BG (512GB) capable of 4K recording for 180 minutes¹, and the AU-XP0256BG (256GB).

Available at the end of May 2016, it serves as recording media for the VariCam series and features an error correction capability equivalent to the RAID system, which restores sector/page error data that cannot be corrected with ordinary flash memory.

The B Series has the potential to transfer data at a maximum of 10 Gps² which is about four times the speed of existing expressP2 cards. 

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A cracking new system for filming on cars, trucks etc.

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Upgrade done via my PXW-FS5 and it works a treat, this is a lens I could not rely on before the FW upgrade.

Its slightly obvious that Sony knew they would not have a new 18-105mm servo zoom lens to replace this one at NAB so they decided to fix the older lens. You need to connect your computer to your FS5 via the micro USB socket inside the SD card compartment and run the upgrade…it only takes seconds.

Sony FS7 owners who have the 18-105 lens are asking how do they update their lens ?

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Simon is also filming small informative docs at NAB with suppliers. Here is the one he did with RED ROCK MICRO’s Eclipse and Halo solo

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Improves the tracking accuracy while focusing on an object when using the manual focus setting…for FS5

• Body: all E-mount with the exception of NEX-5, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-VG10 and PXW-FS7

ABOUT THIS DOWNLOAD

• Name: Lens sytem software update Ver.03 for SELP18105G (Mac)
• Release date: 14/04/2016
• Benefits and improvements
  • Improves the tracking accuracy while focusing on an object when using the manual focus setting.

I had stopped using this lens because of its lack of accuracy in manual focusing mode. NOTE : You will find the micro USB inside the SD card slot holder compartment of the camera, you must also use the mains lead.

Get the down load here :  http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-dwnl/prd-dime/sony-selp18105G-firmware-update-ver03-mac/SELP18105G

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One major problem with this device it uses the less powerful camera on your iPhone to film with and I personally think this is seriously not worth the brain power it took to think it up.

Edlekrone have some fantastic products for the video industry but this insnt one of them.

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Successors to the company’s AVCCAM series of professional AVC HD camcorders, the UX premium model (AG-UX180), is equipped with a 1-type MOS sensor, optical 20x zoom and UHD 60p recording capability, while the UX standard model (AG-UX90), features a 1-type MOS sensor, optical 15x zoom and UHD 30p recording.

Both are currently under development, feature a rugged design for heavy duty field use and are scheduled for release in autumn 2016.

“Panasonic is introducing the UX series to make 4K acquisition even more accessible to video professionals,” said Guilhem Krier, Head of Product Marketing & Business Development Europe. “The industry demand for 4K video is increasing fast. The UX camcorders provide a 4K update to our very successful HD models, such as the AG-AC90, providing high-mobility and the same workflow users will be familiar with from our existing professional, integrated-lens handhelds.”

The UX series will support recording up to 4K (4096×2160, 24p only), UHD (3840×2160) and FHD at up to 120p. The camcorders will use the SD memory card¹ as recording media. The UX premium model also supports dual codec recording (UHD²/FHD), IR recording in low light, and 3G SDI/HDMI2.0 output.

The UX camcorders’ 1-type MOS sensor ensures sensitivity equivalent to that of conventional handheld cameras. Variable frame rate (VFR) recording functionality (2-60 fps) is planned in FHD mode.

The availability of the UX models brings Panasonic’s line up of professional 4K cameras to five, including the flagship VariCam 35, VariCam LT and the AG-DVX200.

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Now it’s possible to distribute and sell Ultra HD content direct to customers at live events!

NAB 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada – April 18, 2016 – Blackmagic Design today announced the new Blackmagic Duplicator 4K, which allows delivery of Ultra HD content to consumers by recording files onto inexpensive SD cards that can be distributed to customers the moment an event is finished. Featuring 25 built in SD card recorders, multi rate 12G-SDI connections and a realtime H.265 encoder, Blackmagic Duplicator 4K is the best way to deliver Ultra HD content that customers can actually view on their 4K televisions and Windows 10 computers today.

Blackmagic Duplicator 4K is available now for US$1,995 and will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2016 booth at #SL217.

The Blackmagic Duplicator 4K lets content creators dramatically increase revenue because it gives them a way to sell content right after a live event, while attendees are still excited about the performance before, and before they walk out the door. Now customers can sell concert videos to fans as they leave the venue, to parents after their children’s latest performance or recital, after sporting events, conferences, sales seminars and more.

HOLDAN are the distributer in the UK

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Sony FS5 4K/2K Raw Update:

CBKZ-FS5RIF RAW update for Sony FS5 will cost 500 Euro and is scheduled for release in May 2016.

New Features

• 4K/60p RAW recording to external recorders
  • Convergent Design Odyssey7Q+ via 3G-SDI Single link or AXS-R5 + HXR-IFR5 Sony recorder/interface
• 2K/HD Super Slow-Motion up to 240fps

Firmware 2.0 for Sony FS5 (Free):

• Auto ND Function – allowing seamless adjustment of exposure via ND automatically without having to adjust ISO or iris and retain the same depth of field in changing exposure situations.
• GPS function enabled
• Expanded Zebra function 

Alister Chapman “Sony’s little PXW-FS5 is slowly maturing. The next firmware version  will add support for automatic operation of the cameras variable ND filter. The Auto ND function can be used in conjunction with Auto Iris to get an incredible automatic exposure compensation range. Great for day to night timelapse etc. The Auto ND function has to be assigned to one of the cameras assignable buttons before it can be used, but it’s a great feature to have.

In addition Zebras will go down all the way to zero. So you will be able to set zebras to 50-55% for log skin tones or 41% for S-log3 grey card exposure etc. GPS will work too!

All of the above will be free. For an extra $600 you will be able to get the raw output option. This will allow the camera to record to an external raw recorder in full DCI 4K (4096×2160) at up to 60fps. Yes, that’s right 60fps! In addition there will be a 4 second HFR burst capability that will allow you to record 4 seconds of 120fps 4K raw. If all that isn’t enough then in 2K you will have high speed recording at up to 240fps. However there won’t be any non high speed 2K modes, so no regular 30fps 2K raw.

Just like the FS700 and FS7 the raw is 12 bit linear, so not as good as an F5 or F55, but still a very nice option to have. All of this should be coming some time in June. Don’t forget for raw you will need an external raw recorder such as the Convergent Design Odyssey or the Atomos Shogun.”

The Sony FS5 and PXW-X70 will also have an optional MPEG-2 HD 4:2:2 at 50Mbps upgrade allowing both cameras to easily integrate into existing broadcast workflow and make the more streamlined for documentary and broadcast production.

The MPEG2 422 upgrade will cost around 500 Euros and will be available in June 2016.

Sony FS7 Firmware Version 4.0 details (Free):

• Flexible AF Spot – adjustable to any part of the screen
• True 24p in 4K XAVC – no conversion needed from 23.98 in European cinema productions

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